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American Horror Story: Coven will begin brewing on Wednesday, Oct. 9, it has been officially announced by FX.

Exec producer Tim Minear revealed earlier this month that Coven will have “a feminist theme” as well as cover ”race and oppression and family … along with laughs and scares and a few tears.”

On the aforementioned family front, Jessica Lange will play a literally witchy mom to Sarah Paulson. It’s also been revealed that Angela Bassett is playing Marie Laveau, a character loosely based on “a woman in the 1800s who was very influential in the city,” while Kathy Bates will channel infamous 1830s New Orleans socialite/serial killer Madame LaLaurie.

Also on board for Coven are returning Horror Story players Denis O’Hare, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Alexandra Breckenridge, Evan Peters and Taissa Farmiga, as well as new blood Emma Roberts, Patti LuPone and Gabourey Sidibe.

The critical darling is slated to return with the 10-episode second half of its Season 3 on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 10:30/9:30c.

Earlier this month, Awkward was renewed for a fourth season, to be helmed by Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler (90210, Cashmere Mafia). They replace outgoing creator Lauren Iungerich.

Ready for more of today’s TV dish? Well…

• Daytime host Wendy Williams is making her way to ABC’s The Neighbors, TVLine has learned exclusively. She’ll guest-star in Season 2′s fourth episode, playing a hair stylist who instantly hits it off with Jami Gertz’s Debbie.

• The Vampire Diaries has added Shaun Sipos (Life Unexpected, Melrose Place) in Season 5, E! Online reports. He’ll recur as a college student who bonds with Elena over their shared tragic pasts.

• NBC News will re-air the August 25, 1963 installment of Meet the Press exactly 50 years to the date that it originally aired. The episode features an interview with Martin Luther King Jr., which occurred just three days before his historic “I have a dream” speech.

• Wes Ramsey (CSI: Miami) is headed to Pretty Little Liars in the second half of Season 4, E! Online reports, playing Rosewood High School’s new guidance counselor.

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USA Network unveiled its fall premiere calendar on Thursday, and it features return dates for White Collar and Covert Affairs, as well as the off-network launch of Modern Family.

White Collar‘s fifth season will kick off Thursday, Oct. 17 at 9/8c, leading into the return of Covert Affairs at 10/9c (unspooling its final six Season 4 episodes).

Modern Family reruns, meanwhile, will make their USA debut on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 8/7c and will air five nights a week.

Holiday-themed reality series It Takes a Choir — which follows choirmaster Gareth Malone as he unites “an unexpected mix of characters through the spellbinding power of music” — bows Sunday, Nov. 3 at 8/7c.

And as previously reported, Psych‘s two-hour musical episode is set to air Sunday, Dec. 15 at 9/8c.

… Showtime has decided on premiere dates for three of its returning midseason shows. Shameless will return on January 12. Episodes will return on January 12. House of Lies will return on January 12. They’ll all return on January 12! [Showtime via press release]

BUSINESS TIME

… A few new details on the potential Supernatural spin-off have emerged. Executive Producers Jeremy Carver and Robert Singer say the show will take place in Chicago and feature much more of an ensemble cast, as opposed to its parent series, which travels the country (and Canada!) and concentrates on the Winchester brothers. The backdoor pilot will be introduced in the 20th episode of the Supernatural‘s upcoming ninth season, and if all goes well, will become its own show in 2014. [EW]

… Okay everyone, this joke has gone on long enough. Syfy aired Sharknado for a third time on Saturday night and it climbed in the ratings AGAIN. Its first airing in mid-July drew 1.4 million viewers (all of whom tweeted until their fingers bled), its second airing a week later drew 1.9 million viewers, and its third airing on Saturday picked up 2.1 million viewers. Either people are really late to this internet-fueled phenomenon, or sharks have learned how to watch television. [EW]

… Ever-exciting syndication news! Reruns of CBS’s Hawaii Five-0, purchased by TNT back in 2011, will begin airing on the network starting Thursday, August 8. The series will air back-to-back episodes on Thursday nights right from the beginning, so you can figure out who’s a good guy and who’s a bad guy. [TNT via press release]

… Adult Swim has announced a date for the returns of Aqua TV Show Show and Squidbillies. August 11 at midnight and midnight:15. [Adult Swim via press release]

… Animal Planet’s Treehouse Masters has been renewed for a 13-episode second season due in 2014. The show follows master treehouse builder Pete Nelson as he masterfully builds treehouses. [Animal Planet via press release]

CASTING NEWS

… The lovely Anna Torv (Fringe) and former Brat Packer Jennifer Jason Leigh (Some Kind of Wonderful) have joined Ryan Murphy’s HBO pilot Open. The mature drama focuses on sexuality and relationships, and it stars Scott Speedman and Wes Bentley. Leigh and Torv will play a couple, and yes, no need to do a double-take, they’re both girls. [Deadline Hollywood]

… Showtime has a horror series in the works called Penny Dreadful, and now it has its leads: Josh Hartnett (Pearl Harbor) and Eva Green (Casino Royale)! The series will be set in Victorian England and weave together the origin stories of several monsters from literature, such as Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dorian Grey. [THR]

… John Ratzenberger (Cheers‘ Cliff Claven) will guest-star on an episode of Bones. He’ll play one half of a couple who’s on a retreat in the second episode. [EW]

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Those thirsting for a new season of The Vampire Diaries – and the debut of its offshoot The Originals – will get their fang fix earlier than expected.

The CW on Monday announced that the Season 5 premiere of TVD and the series premiere of TheOriginals will bow on Thursday, Oct. 3 starting at 8/7c, a week earlier than previously scheduled.

The following week, (Oct. 8), The Originals will move to its regular time slot at 8 pm Tuesdays, where it will lead into Supernatural‘s Season 9 opener — which was originally slotted for Oct. 15. (If you miss the Oct. 8 Originals, it will air as an encore at 9 pm on Thursday, Oct. 10 after a new TVD.)

Reign, the network’s new drama about a young Mary, Queen of Scots, will now bow at 9 pm on Thursday, Oct. 17, a week later than originally announced.

Other series, including the returning Hart of Dixie, Beauty and the Beast and The Carrie Diaries and the new offering The Tomorrow People, are unaffected by the changes.